Cooking brisket in the oven is a time-consuming process, but it’s also very rewarding. When your family and friends take their first bite of your delicious brisket, they will definitely ask for the recipe. This article will make you a brisket cooker pro!
Did you know that at one time the brisket was considered a very poor quality meat? The story goes that two brothers from Germany, in the 1950s, decided to smoke some leftover brisket they had. They left the brisket inside their smokehouse for an entire weekend. When they got back to work they sliced the meat and served it to their customers. The meat was so flavorful and tender that it quickly became a hit.
I remember the first time I had the pleasure of eating brisket. It was at this fabulous little Barbecue restaurant in Croton-On-Hudson, New York called Memphis Maes.
New York is not known for its barbecue, so my wife and I were a bit skeptical. But after we took our first bite of “Texas BBQ Brisket,” we became believers! Then my wife looked at me and said, “You have to do this!” Not wanting to disappoint the lovely wife, I took it upon myself to try and recreate the BBQ brisket at home. I don’t have a smoker so I had to improvise and cook the brisket in the oven.
Believe it or not, the oven makes a pretty good barbecue brisket. Many barbecue enthusiasts will tell you that a smoker is the only way to cook brisket, but I can tell you from experience that it simply isn’t.
The secret to a good brisket is to cook it nice and slow at around 225 degrees for several hours. So if you’re looking for a quick and easy meal tonight, cooking brisket in the oven is not the way to go.
You will need to prepare this particular recipe a day in advance and you will need to plan extra time to cook the brisket as it takes several hours to finish cooking.
Let’s talk about dry rubs
There are a variety of different dried dough recipes that you can use for your brisket. One such recipe is listed below. Don’t be shy about your dry massage. You really want to cover the breast well. It’s not called a rub for nothing, so you really rub those spices into the meat with your hands. After the marinade has been applied, place the brisket in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.
DRY MASSAGE
– 1/4 cup paprika
– 1/4 cup light brown sugar
– 2 tablespoons chili powder
– 2 tablespoons kosher salt
– 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
– 1 1/3 Tbs Granulated Garlic
– 1 1/3 Tbs Granulated Onion
– 2 teaspoons ground cumin
THE SAUCE
We need some kind of liquid to slowly braise the breast in the oven. Braising is a great way to cook brisket in the oven because it keeps it moist and very tender.
What I do is mix some good quality store bought barbecue sauce with some beef broth to thin it out a bit. I like to use a smoky flavored barbecue sauce. To give it a little more smokiness, I also add a few drops of liquid smoke. This makes a very flavorful braising liquid.
LET’S START COOKING NOW!
Before we start cooking, let’s do a little prep.
Remove the brisket from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes or so to come to room temperature.
Get yourself a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid that’s big enough to hold the brisket.
Mix equal parts barbecue sauce and beef broth. I like to do just enough so that the breast is at least half submerged. Pour this mixture into your baking dish.
Preheat your oven to 225 degrees.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to cover the pan. Add the brisket to the skillet and brown on all sides until a nice crust forms.
Place the browned breast in the baking dish with the braising liquid. Put the lid on and place it in the preheated oven.
About halfway through the cooking process, flip the breast over so the other side has time to cook in the braising liquid.
The brisket is done when it is fork-tender and has an internal temperature of around 185-200 degrees F. The amount of time it takes to cook a brisket in the oven really depends on the weight of the brisket. Figure 1 1/2 to 2 hours per pound of meat.
There you go. My recipe for cooking brisket in the oven.
